Janos Audron
Characters article |image=SR2-Texture-Stronghold-JanosAudron.png |caption=Janos Audron in Soul Reaver 2 (image credit: Daniel Cabuco). |introduced= Soul Reaver 2 (2001) |appearances= Soul Reaver 2 Blood Omen 2 Defiance ''Defiance'' comic }} Janos Audron is a recurring supporting character in the Legacy of Kain series, with major roles in Soul Reaver 2, Blood Omen 2 and Legacy of Kain: Defiance. Despised as a dark enemy of humankind in Nosgoth's legends, he was in fact the guardian of the Reaver blade, the last survivor of the original, ancient vampire race, and the progenitor of Nosgoth's modern vampires. Famously, he was hunted down by the Sarafan in Nosgoth's early history; his black heart was torn from his chest, and christened the Heart of Darkness by his enemies. After an extensive quest across time devoted to finding him, the wraith Raziel briefly met with Janos, but was powerless to prevent his murder. In the Blood Omen era of the fourth timeline, Raziel reclaimed Janos's heart and resurrected him, but Janos was possessed by the Hylden Lord, who used his body to instigate the Hylden plan to retake Nosgoth. Centuries later, Janos was rescued by Kain, and partook in a final battle against his possessor, but fell into the Hylden Gate and became trapped in the Demon Realm. Biography Ancient History Janos was an Ancient Vampire, presumably born at some point in the millennium long Vampire-Hylden war, Janos seems to have been one of the more senior (or educated) Ancients that participated in the War. Though little is known about his exact role in wartime, he is certainly considered to be involved in the events that led to the end of the War, probably involved in the creation of the Binding, the Genesis of the Pillars and the Forging ofThe Reaver (or more accurately, its enchantments). After the conclusion of the war, with the Hylden banished to the Demon Realm, Janos was, like the other ancients, affected by the Blood curse and it's consequences; unlike many other Ancients however, Janos (to a certain extent) accepted the curse, viewing it as "the price we pay to keep the Hylden banished". Janos seems to have been heavily involved with the ancient prophecies foretelling the coming of the Vampire and Hylden champions, as well as the Scion of Balance. He may also have been primarily responsible for their 'dual champion' interpretation (it is implied that many other Nosgothic individuals may have been taught about the prophecies by, or otherwise followed Janos' interpretations). At the time of the binding, Janos was called as a 'guardian', but not as a Pillar Guardian; Janos was instead a secret tenth guardian, who was charged with guarding The Reaver blade (and whose title was likely honorary) until the Vampire champion (who was destined to be armed with the blade for his battle against the Hylden champion) arrived to collect it. After the War, Janos worked to rebuild the Vampire race and eventually he found a way to pass the curse on to Humans; ensuring that theVampire Race could survive in some form, despite the likely extinction of the Ancient Vampires as a species. Vorador would be the first human turned (by Janos himself - possibly because of his previous service 'forging' The Reaver blade) and a new race of Vampires was begun - one that owed it's existence to Janos. Vorador would eventually refer to Janos as his "sire" and the "father of our race". In trying to ensure that the Pillar Guardians would be Vampires, Janos was also likely responsible for the policy of adopting/abducting and 'turning' Human guardians into Vampires when they came of age. Eventually, the Humans (led by 'un-turned' Human Pillar Guardians Mortanius and Moebius, who were acting under instruction of the Elder God) would rebel against their Vampire masters, massacring Ancients and Turned Vampires alike and 'defiling' the Vampire Citadel. It is unknown whether Janos played any significant part in the Human Rebellion, but following the conflict the Vampires would abandon the Citadel and retreat to a variety of secluded locations. With Humanity claiming the Pillars of Nosgoth as their own, demonizing the Vampires and removing all traces of Ancient vampire history. As Human history moved on, Janos himself would retire to his own retreat in the mountains nearby Uschtenheim, where he would eventually become the last of the Ancient Vampires, sustained solely by his obligation to the Vampire champion. Over time, Janos became more secluded, seeming to become estranged from even Vorador (through some unknown conflicts - possibly due to Vorador's abandonment of the prophecies). Janos would continue to guard The Reaver for centuries, into Nosgoth's early history, patiently awaiting the arrival of the Vampire champion. Nosgoth's early history (Soul Reaver 2) The rise of the Sarafan presumably eliminated many Vampires known to Janos, yet he has seemingly suffered less than Vorador. With the Sarafan seeing Janos as the "origin of the Vampire plague" and believing that killing him would "topple their entire bloodline", the death of Janos Audron became a major goal of the Sarafan as they began to mass their forces in Uschtenheim. On his own time travelling quest to locate Janos,Wraith Raziel (the Vampire champion) would emerge in Nosgoth's early history and make his way to Janos' retreat (passing through the massing Sarafan forces in Uschtenheim). Desperate to reach Janos before the Sarafan did, Raziel blazed his way through the retreat, activating several bloodstone bridges to reach Janos' chambers. Despite meeting Raziel for the first time, Janos was already aware of his name and was somewhat surprised by his ragged appearance. Janos told Raziel that he had been called along with the other guardians as a tenth guardian - "the keeper of The Reaver, the weapon of their salvation", guarding the blade until the Vampire champion came to claim it. He explained how he had watched through the centuries as the Humans gained control of the Pillars of Nosgoth and Vampire history "faded into myth, and finally receded altogether", eventually leading to the "wholly ignorant" Humans attacking the demonized Vampires, unknowingly "slitting their own throats". Janos informed Raziel that the 'Vampiric' Reaver blade was the key to securing the binding. He offered the blade to Raziel, but "horribly repelled" by it, refused the sword. At that moment, the Human Sarafan Inquisitors (who had breezed through the retreat in Raziel's wake) breached Janos' Chambers and, trying to defend Raziel from their attack, Janos teleported him away to the sealed Fire Forge and battled the Sarafan alone. Janos would eventually be incapacitated by Moebius' Staff (wielded by Turel) and his heart would be ripped out by the HumanSarafan Inquisitor Raziel (with Vampire champion Wraith Raziel forging the Fire Reaver and returning just in time to witness the grisly deed). As Janos' Aerie began to collapse, the Sarafan Inquisitors retreated, taking with them Janos' Heart and the Reaver Blade. Janos, whom was dying, affirmed Raziel's messianic status, believing that saving Raziel may have been his own "true purpose" and advising him to reclaim The Reaver blade; forged for him alone. Janos died in Raziel's arms, but Raziel had also realized that by restoring Janos' legendary heart, he could perhaps restore Janos. Both Raziel and Vorador took revenge for Janos' murder by attacking the Sarafan Stronghold (killing six Sarafan Inquisitors and six Pillar Guardians respectively) and at some point, Vorador would visit the collapsed retreat and retrieve Janos' corpse, taking the body and interring it in a crypt in the garden of his own Mansion. The Legend of Janos Audron In the centuries after his death, the story of Janos and his death would take on a legendary status, and as the 'father of Vampires' he would be appropriately demonized as a "diabolical vampire" that "preyed mercilessly" on the villagers of Uschtenheim, with Sarafan lionized as defenders of the Humans. Janos' grisly death would make it into the legends, which attributed to Janos' heart (named "The Heart of Darkness" by the Sarafan) the ability to restore "Vampiric Unlife" and so the heart was guarded carefully "lest it fall into the wrong hands". The Heart would eventually be used by Mortanius in the Blood Omen era to revive Kain as a Vampire; creating the prophesied Scion of Balance. Janos' murder at the hands of Sarafan would be commemorated in the Pre-Blood Omen era, where there was a large stained glass window in the 'Sanctuary' area of the Sarafan Stronghold. Raziel commented on it recalling the legend - perhaps indicating that the legend would survive into the Soul Reaver era - and after encountering traces of Vampire prophecy and meeting Vorador, Raziel would resolve to find Janos and uncover his role in history. Kain also knew of the legend in the Blood Omen era, recounting the story shortly after his Vampire revival and as he entered Uschtenheim on the path to Dark Eden, he also used 'relics' of the Heart of Darkness to refill his blood vial (unaware that the real Heart of Darkness had been used to recreate him as a Vampire by Mortanius and had been hidden in his chest). Blood Omen era (Defiance) As the fledgling Kain was eliminating the circle of guardians in the Blood Omen era, Raziel was searching for clues about his own fate and when Raziel met Vorador in his mansion, Vorador showed Raziel Vorador's Crypt, revealing that he had recovered Janos' corpse (which remained intact with no sign of decay while the Heart of Darkness still beats). Offering Raziel a chance to redeem himself, Vorador sent Raziel to Avernus seeking the Heart of Darkness. Uncovering much of the Hylden side of history and learning from Mortanius himself where he had hidden the heart (and also believing himself to be Hylden champion), Raziel had a fateful confrontation with the elder Kain in Avernus Cathedral, ripping the Heart of Darkness from his chest and blasting him through a portal to his apparent death. Raziel had recovered the Heart of Darkness, but at the cost of the Scion of Balance. Returning to Vorador's Mansion and Vorador's Crypt, Raziel restored the Heart of Darkness to Janos and (with a little help from the Wraith Blade), Janos was indeed restored. Raziel informed Janos that five centuries had passed since his death and that with the death of Vorador his "bloodline was erased." Janos tried to hurry Raziel into action, but Raziel demanded answers as to why he was fated to be imprisoned in The Reaver; initially Janos believed Raziel had been misled, but Raziel's manifestation of the Wraith Blade caused Janos to fundamentally re-assess the complexity of the ancient prophecies (probably realizing that Raziel was in fact both Vampire and Hylden champions). Telling Raziel that time was short, Janos Teleported them both to the Vampire Citadel. At Raziel's insistence, Janos clarified some of the events of Ancient Vampire history to him, before persuading him that he would find the answers he sought in the Spirit Forge, giving Raziel the Golden Ouroboros key to provide him access. When Raziel returned after imbuing the Spirit Reaver, he found Janos staring at the Pillars of Nosgoth, obviously anxious and aware that "the binding was failing". With the arrival of the time of the younger Kain's fateful decision, the Pillars of Nosgoth collapsed (in an 'explosive' manner) sending out a shockwave which knocked both Raziel and Janos clean across the room and when Raziel regained his footing, he found that the Hylden Lord was now in Possession of Janos. The Hylden reveled in his manipulation of Raziel; revealing that by resurrecting Janos, Raziel had provided the "durable vessel" that the Hylden required for their further plans; and that in resurrecting Janos Raziel had already been forced to murder the Vampires savior, the Scion of Balance (Kain), to retrieve the Heart of Darkness. Desperate to prevent the Hylden's further plans, Raziel battled the Hylden Lord Possessing Janos (see Possessed Janos) but was unable to bring himself to kill Janos. Taking advantage of Raziel's weakness, the Hylden Lord counter-attacked, dissolving Raziel's Material and Spectral manifestations and flew away with Janos' body - starting "[http://legacyofkain.wikia.com/wiki/Blood_Omen_2 a new epoch]". Post-Blood Omen era With Janos under Hylden Possession, his body was used by the Hylden Lord to undermine the binding. Taking advantage of the weakened dimensional boundaries caused by the Collapse of the Pillars of Nosgoth (and possibly using Janos' own sorcery), the Hylden Lord was able to use Janos' body to open the Hylden Gate - a passage between the Demon Realm and the Material Realms, allowing the Hylden to re-inhabit the Material Realm, though they would still be 'bound' to the Demon Realm. Question and Answer with Jen, Richard and Kyle at The Lost Worlds (by Ben Lincoln) With the construction (or repopulation) of the Hylden City, the Hylden had a base in Nosgoth and they moved onto the next phase of their plans; activating the Ancient Hylden weapon - the Device - buried under Meridian. With the Hylden plans in motion, Janos was imprisoned behind Ward gates in the Device Question and Answer with Amy Hennig at The Lost Worlds (by Ben Lincoln) and his lifeblood was drained to feed the Mass leading to him (d)evolving in a monstrous "Beast" form. Continuing their plans, the Hylden excavated the Device and began to complete the network it required. The Hylden Lord (in the Human disguise of "The Sarafan Lord") set up a new vampire hunting order - the Sarafan - and the Sarafan's tyrannical rule provided the perfect cover for the Glyphwrights (actually Hylden scientists) to work completing a Glyph Magic network that would enable the completion of the Device. Blood Omen 2 era After defeating Sebastian in the Industrial Quarter, Kain learnt of the Sarafan's plans with the Device and eventually he would be Teleported to the Device by the Seer. When Kain entered the upper chambers of the Device he found Janos (devolved as "The Beast") imprisoned behind several Ward gates . Janos (perhaps hinting at Vampire prophecy) recognised Kain and agreed to help him, telling him of the scale of the Device and that he would need the help of The Builder (imprisoned in the Eternal Prison) to destroy the Device. Kain: "I seek an ancient device of great power. I am prepared to kill any who stand in my way."//'Beast:' "Have no fear of me. I am enslaved by the fiends that built this monstrosity, to feed this machine with my life."//'Kain:' "Then perhaps we have an interest in common. I am here to destroy the device."//'Beast:' "Yes. Yes, I can help you, then.That which you seek is too great for you to destroy alone. It descends far underground, it rivals a city in its size. To destroy the device, you must seek out the being that built it."//'Kain:' "The Sarafan Lord?"//'Beast:' "No, no, it is older, far older.Those who dwelt in Nosgoth eons ago left some structures in their passing. The device is one. The Sarafan Lord discovered how to use it. Only the Builder can make it stop."//'Kain:' "Do you mean to tell me that this being still lives? Impossible."//'Beast:' "He is…listen to me. There is a place in Nosgoth, far to the north, where time means nothing, where hours and years are frozen for eternity. The Eternal Prison. The wretches imprisoned there pay for their crimes for eternity. The builder is there."//'Kain:' "The Eternal Prison. I have heard of such a place. I did not realize it was so close to Meridian. How do I reach it?"//'Beast:' "There is a tunnel leading out of the city through this room. It will take you into the Prison."//'Kain:' "And if this builder refuses my help?"//'Beast:' "Tell him you wish to destroy the device. Believe me, he will aid you."//'Kain:' "I hope, for your sake, that what you have told me is true."//'Beast:' "You may believe me. Destroying the device…will free me…at last. I will be in your debt, Kain" Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. Kain travelled to the Eternal Prison, and after learning from the Builder that the Mass (the creature at the heart of the Device) could be killed by exposing it to the blood of the elder races, Kain killed the Builder and drank his blood before returning to the Device . When Kain returned "The Beast" warned Kain of the perils he would face descending into the Device -explaining that his captors (the ones who "pulled the strings" of the Sarafan and had "enslaved" Meridian with Glyph magic) were the Hylden; and that the Sarafan Lord was a leader amongst them. Beast: "You are ready to descend to the Device. Time grows short. My life…is drawn from me. The Device is alive. You must destroy it."//'Kain:' "What can you tell me of the creature within."//'Beast:' "The slaves speak of it as…The Mass. It has great power…yet it is just an animal. The blood in your veins… will kill it…"//'Kain:' "How do I reach the Device?"//'Beast:' "This passage…will lead you there."//'Kain:' "I will return when the device is destroyed."//'Beast:' "Wait…You must know…your true enemies. My captors. They are not of this world. They control the Glyph magic by which Meridian is enslaved. They pull the strings of the Sarafan while in the disguise of the Glyph Wrights. They are called…the Hylden….And their leader is, of course –"//'Kain:' "– The Sarafan Lord."//'Beast:' "They are powerful creatures, Kain. You will encounter them below. Beware their magic. Now, find the Mass…Destroy the Device." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. After killing the Mass, Kain returned to The Beast's Chamber again and found that the Ward gates had been deactivated and Janos had been restored. Though Kain did not recognise him, Janos' description of his legend (as "the oldest Vampire") allowed Kain to work out his identity. Janos described to Kain the events of the Vampire-Hylden war and how they were banished to the Demon Realm, but then were able to use the Collapse of the Pillars of Nosgoth to return to the Material Realm. Kain immediately recognized the implication that this had "all been a Hylden plot from the beginning". Janos: "Not dead, but imprisoned in this place. My blood was needed to power the device, and feed the Mass within. Starved of blood and sapped of life, I devolved into that horrible creature. The moment you poisoned the Mass, I felt my strength return. That which is divine cannot be wholly suppressed"//'Kain:' "Divine? Your imprisonment has damaged your mind, Janos. The curse of vampirism is no mark of divinity."//'Janos:' "You must delve further back into history, Kain, to know the truth of our heritage. Long ago, and long before I first walked the earth, vampires were god-like, and our kind ruled the land. But we were opposed by another race, similar to ours in power, but different in method and intention. The wars between us flamed for a thousand years. But we prevailed at last, and we banished our enemies from the face of the earth by powerful magic, sealing them into another plane of existence."//'Kain:' "What has this history lesson to do with my task at hand?"//'Janos:' "Patience, Kain. The race that fought the vampires was the Hylden, the very Hylden that you have just encountered. They control the Sarafan. They are striving to wipe out the vampires, enslave the humans, and reclaim all Nosgoth as their own. They are the evil that plague us once again, authors of the demons and the Device and all else that threatens the land. They have returned to enact a terrible revenge."//'Kain:' "I thought you said that they were banished."//'Janos:' "They were, Kain. But several centuries ago, one of the Hylden was able to return to our world. He then used his magic to draw other Hylden through, but had not yet the power to begin a full invasion. He required an army, here, and humans to drain of energy. He learned of a legendary order whose purpose was to purge the world of vampires long ago. He revived this order,and the Sarafan were born again."//'Kain:' "The Sarafan Lord. It was he that broke through. But how?"//'Janos:' "Now we come to your part in this story. When you chose to destroy the Pillar of Balance, you caused a rift throughout the world, sufficient to breach through the dimensions."//'Kain:' "Was it I, then, who had engendered this war? No, I had been set, step by step, upon the path that led to this outcome. Hadn’t this all been a Hylden plot from the beginning? My mind reeled at the implications." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. Advising Kain that the Hylden were still bound to the Demon Realm and would be killed if the Hylden Gate were closed, Janos Teleported them both back to Sanctuary . Surprising Vorador and the Cabal with his appearance, Umah: "You should have sent me with him."//'Vorador:' "You were wounded."//'Umah:' "There is no way to know now where Kain has gone or what he is doing. Even you haven’t been able to contact him –" (~Janos teleports into Sanctuary with Kain. Vorador turns, Umah (and the attendants) prepare to attack.~)//'Vorador:' "What's this? No – wait. Do I dare believe my senses? Janos? My sire? They killed you…"//'Janos:' "No. Far worse. But that is a story for another time." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. Janos explained the threat posed by the Sarafan Lord and the Hylden, telling Vorador that they had to find the Hylden City and close the Hylden Gate; but he had found there was a 'magic shield' which prevented Teleportation. Janos: "My plan was to teleport us to the Hylden City, and launch a final assault on the Sarafan Lord, but now I find there is some kind of shield of magic that prevents me. If we are to fight them, that shield must be destroyed." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. As Umah told them of the "enormous activity" at the Wharves, Janos suggested that the destination of the ships leaving the Wharves was the Hylden City Janos: "He has created a base in this world, the Hylden City, across the sea. There he has opened a Gate to bring his kind into our world. My plan was to teleport us to the Hylden City, and launch a final assault on the Sarafan Lord, but now I find there is some kind of shield of magic that prevents me. If we are to fight them, that shield must be destroyed."//'Kain:' "Vorador, where is the Hylden City? Have any of your spies brought you this knowledge?"//'Vorador:' "Umah, what do you know of this?"//'Umah:' "There has been, in the past months, enormous activity at the Wharves. Warships and freighters, loading and unloading in great secrecy. The few of our people who have infiltrated the area, and returned alive, have told me that the ships all seem to take the same course out of the harbor, but we do not know their destination."//'Janos:' (to Kain)"It must be the Hylden City. Why else would there be such interest at this time? You must take a ship to the city at once. There, you must find and deactivate the shield, so whatever forces we can bring may come to your aid, and close the Gate for all time." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. and Vorador sent Kain (along with the soon to be deceased Umah) to the Wharves to board a ship to the Hylden City and deactive the Shield Generator. Kain:(to Vorador) "Have someone show me to the Wharves. I will make my way aboard one of those ships that is about to sail. When I have deactivated the shield, I will contact you."//'Umah:' "I’m going with him."//'Vorador:' "But I will need you here –"//'Umah:' "Sire, I know the Wharves. And where one may fail alone, two may succeed." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. Kain: "I have no need of a guard at my back. You will find me perfectly competent for this task, I assure you."//'Umah:' "It is a chance we cannot afford to take. Not when all we have fought for is at stake."//'Janos:' "There is more at stake than you can imagine. Take help where it is offered, Kain."//'Vorador:' "It is settled. I will prepare our forces for the final attack." (~He holds out one hand to Umah~)"Go well, my child."//'Janos:' "Go well, both of you."//'Kain:' ""Take help where it is offered." Yet I have always found that help offered when not needed is usually no help at all." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. When Kain finally reached the Hylden City and destroyed the Shield Generator, Janos and Vorador were able to Teleport into the Hylden City ~Kain is within the Hylden City and has just shut off a large Ward Generator. He receives a Whisper from Vorador:~ Vorador: (Whispers) "Kain, the Hylden City's defenses have been broached. Janos can no longer sense a Ward barrier."//'Kain:' "My doing. I have shut down their foul magics, at least for a time."//'Vorador:' "Then we are ready to help you. Janos is casting a spell that will bring us to you in moments." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. but as Janos was attempting to detect the location of the Hylden Gate, the Sarafan Lord appeared and hit both Janos and Vorador with Reaver bolts. ~''A blast shoots forth that cleaves through Vorador’s chest.~ // '''Vorador:' "Aaagh!!" // ~''Janos whips around, eyes blazing. He, too, is blasted to the ground.~ // '''Janos Audron:' "Aaagh!!" // ~''The Sarafan Lord is suddenly present with the Soul Reaver raised.~ '''Sarafan Lord:' "This round is mine, dark one." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. Janos stayed to tend to the injured Vorador, advising Kain to drop the Nexus Stone into the Hylden Gate to close it before Teleporting him nearby the Hylden Gate. Janos: "I must tend to Vorador. Proceed without us, Kain. I can teleport you to a place near the Gate, but you will have to close it on your own. Use the Nexus Stone. Cast it into the Gate, and the magic of the Stone will destroy it utterly."//'Kain:' "Cast your spell then, and let us finish this." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. Kain confronted the Sarafan Lord above the Hylden Gate (see Sarafan Lord (boss)) and he was able to drop the Nexus Stone into the Hylden Gate - ensuring that the Hylden in the Material Realm would perish .As Kain and the Sarafan Lord continued to battle, the Sarafan Lord dropped the Soul Reaver and Janos intervened in the fight, ~''The battle sends the Reaver sprawling. All at once, Janos Audron teleports into the fray. The Sarafan Lord turns on him.~ Crystal Dynamics. ''Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. distracting the Hylden and enabling Kain to recover The Reaver. ~ Kain picks up the sword. The Sarafan Lord picks up Janos bodily. ~ Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. As Janos and the Sarafan Lord faced each other (voicing their respective hatred of each other Sarafan Lord: "What could be more righteous than to take our revenge and your freedom from the same source? Tortured eons of suffering are too good for you, Vampire." // Janos Audron: "But not for you, Hylden, who has dared to set a corrupting foot upon this world after your banishment! Return to the demon dimension in which you belong!" // Sarafan Lord: "And by what right, cursed one, did you send my kind to that place of evil?" // Janos Audron: "By what right did you lay on us the curse that drove us from the light, and made us predators of human kind?" // Sarafan Lord: "It was justice for our banishment from the world. You see what it has made of our fair race." // Janos Audron: "I see you have taken your true form at last." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript.), the Hylden was easily able to overpower the weakened Janos and he dropped the Ancient Vampire into the closing Hylden Gate, presumably sealing him in the Demon Realm. Sarafan Lord: "I sentence you to the hell of your own making. A prisoner – for all time!" // ~ The Sarafan Lord casts Janos into the Gate. ~ Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. "After you've hit him three times, your battle is suddenly interrupted by the appearance of Janos.//Poor Janos falls victim to the Sarafan Lord, but not before knocking loose the Soul Reaver. Kain will retrieve it, even as the platforms begin to crumble and fall. Both the Sarafan Lord and Kain manage to reach the sole remaining platform at the center of the Gate." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2 (2002). Page 96. ISBN 0-7615-3774-0 Background Development Appearance As an ancient vampire he has blue skin and feathered wings as depicted in the murals throughout the game. He has yellow eyes and black hair and gray streaks. He wears black pants, long white coat with black and shoulder collar with golden rim, and a white sash wrapped around his neck. Personality Although Janos Audron's appearance may come off as dark or cold, He is actually the most peaceful vampire in the series. As you learn in Soul Reaver 2, He expresses towards Raziel that he doesn't hate humans when questioned about his intentions towards mankind. Despite humans set on destroying every last vampire, Janos Audron never commits a violent act towards the humans or the Seraphan. Powers Teleportation: Janos is capable of teleporting himself and/or other beings to a place, which he has - presumably - visited once. Turning: Janos is capable of turning Humans into Vampires, through unknown means. Transformation: ''As an Ancient Vampire, should Janos be constantly drained of his blood, his body will transform into that of a beast. ''Ancient Vampire's Heart: Although not a power he himself could utilize, his heart can be transplanted to a dead human, which can then be reanimated as a Vampire, if their soul is available. Telekinesis: Janos also has the power of telekinesis. Enhanced durability: His body is strong enough to withstand and completely block Raziel's powerful spirit reaver and takes little to no damage with Raziel's other reavers. Enemy Abilities: *Air Jump: Janos hovers in the air, linking to other moves. *Hawk Dive: By using his wings and momentum Janos can quickly lunge at an enemy. *Zephyr's Wind: Janos can send several small tornadoes at an enemy to injure and knock them back. *Cyclone Spin: He also can do a close range tornado of sorts. When attacked he begins to spin and by doing this he can injure an enemy and knock them back. *Torrent of Wind: Janos can do a huge blast of energy that can not be dodged. He also can shoot energy blasts from his hands that are strong enough to dissolve Raziel's body. *Call of Possession: Summons Revenants. *TK Push: While not as strong as Raziel or Kain's Telekinesis, he can use it to knock enemies down. Etymology Notes Janos is the Hungarian variant of John (perhaps leading to René Auberjonois accent for him), meaning "god is gracious". His name could also be considered a reference to the Roman God Janus patron of (amongst others) endings and time, who is traditionally depicted with 'two faces'. Rene Auberjonois previously played the part of a benevolent vampire mentor in the 1988 film My Best Friend is a Vampire. Rene Auberjonis also played the lead vampire hunter in the Broadway Musical, Dance of The Vampires. In Soul Reaver 2, Janos shows that he knows the Vampire champion will be called Raziel (though he probably does not realise that his Human murderer is also Raziel). Similarly, in Blood Omen 2, Janos greets Kain by name before acknowledging they have never met (perhaps hinting at the Scion of Balance role); Janos also shows he is aware of Kain's "return from the dead". Kain's comments in ''Blood Omen'' suggest that Janos was born in Uschtenheim (and one particularly grand house in Uschtenheim in labelled as "Janos Audron's House" in Silicon Knights Secrets Guide), though this scenario seems unlikely given later plot developments. This could be taken as a sign of the 'receding' of ancient Vampire history, with Humans assuming that Janos was born Human and turned into a Vampire; as vampires were at the time. Janos' restoration occurs only in the fourth timeline; in previous timelines his death at the hands of the Sarafan is apparently final. In the boss fight against the possessed Janos, it is not clear whether the Hylden Lord uses his own powers or if he is using the powers of Janos. The second case seems more probable. The only power that can clearly be attributed to the Hylden Lord is the possessed corpse summoning. Gallery File:SR2-BonusMaterial-CharacterArt-JanosAudron-01.png|Bonus material concept art of Janos (SR2). File:SR2-BonusMaterial-CharacterArt-JanosAudron-02.png|Bonus material concept art of Janos (SR2). File:SR2-BonusMaterial-CharacterArt-JanosAudron-03.png|Bonus material concept art of Janos (SR2). File:SR2-BonusMaterial-CharacterArt-JanosAudron-04.png|Bonus material concept art of Janos (SR2). File:SR2-BonusMaterial-CharacterArt-JanosAudron-05.png|Bonus material concept art of Janos (SR2). File:SR2-BonusMaterial-CharacterArt-JanosAudron-06.png|Bonus material concept art of Janos (SR2). File:SR2-BonusMaterial-CharacterArt-JanosAudron-07.png|Bonus material concept art of Janos (SR2). File:SR2-BonusMaterial-CharacterArt-JanosAudron-08.png|Bonus material concept art of Janos (SR2). File:SR2-BonusMaterial-CharacterArt-JanosAudron-09.png|Bonus material concept art of Janos (SR2). File:SR2-BonusMaterial-CharacterArt-JanosAudron-10.png|Janos in-game (SR2). File:SR2-BonusMaterial-CharacterArt-JanosAudron-11.png|Janos in-game (SR2). File:SR2-BonusMaterial-CharacterArt-JanosAudron-12.png|Janos with Raziel in-game (SR2). File:SR2-Texture-Stronghold-JanosAudron.png|A Sarafan mural depicting Janos's life and death (SR2). File:BO2-Character-JanosAudron.jpg|Concept art of Janos (BO2). File:Defiance-Wallpaper-6.jpg|A promotional wallpaper including Janos (Defiance). File:Defiance-BonusMaterial-CharacterArt-Renders-05-JanosAudron.png|A rendering of Janos (Defiance). File:Defiance-BonusMaterial-CharacterArt-Renders-06-JanosAudron.png|A rendering of Janos (Defiance). File:Defiance-BonusMaterial-CharacterArt-Renders-07-HyldenLord.png|A rendering of Janos Audron, possessed by the Hylden Lord (Defiance). Janos_Audron_Statue.jpg|A statue of Janos Audron in Vorador's Mansion (Defiance) Appearances * Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (mentioned only) * Soul Reaver 2 * Blood Omen 2 * Legacy of Kain: Defiance comic * Legacy of Kain: Defiance See also *Ancient Vampires *Janos Audron's Retreat *The Heart of Darkness *The Possessed Janos *Vampires * Janos Audron at Wikipedia. * Janos Audron at Dark Chronicle (by Marie Tryhorn). References it:Janos Audron Category:Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain Category:Blood Omen unseen characters Category:Blood Omen 2 Category:Characters/Blood Omen 2 Category:Characters Category:Characters/Defiance Category:Defiance comic characters Category:Legacy of Kain: Defiance Category:Navigation/Soul Reaver 2 Category:Characters/Soul Reaver 2 Category:The Dark Prophecy